How to Check Instagram Followers in 2024

Why People Want to Check Instagram Followers

Let's be real—we've all been there. Maybe you're curious about who your partner follows. Maybe you want to see if your ex is following someone new. Or maybe you're just trying to figure out if that influencer's follower count is legit.

Whatever your reason, you're not alone. Millions of people search for ways to check Instagram followers every month. And honestly? There's nothing wrong with being curious.

Method 1: Using Instagram's Native Features

The most straightforward way to check Instagram followers is right inside the app. Here's how:

Checking Your Own Followers

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile
2. Tap the "Followers" count at the top
3. You'll see a complete list of everyone who follows you
4. Use the search bar to find specific people
5. Sort by "Latest" to see your newest followers

Pretty simple, right? Instagram makes it easy to see who's following you. You can even remove followers if you want to clean up your audience.

Checking Someone Else's Followers

This is where it gets a bit trickier. If someone's profile is public, you can:

1. Go to their profile
2. Tap their "Followers" count
3. Scroll through their follower list

But here's the catch—if they have thousands of followers, good luck finding anyone specific. Instagram doesn't let you search through someone else's follower list. You'd have to scroll manually, which is... not fun.

And if their account is private? You're out of luck unless they accept your follow request.

Method 2: Third-Party Instagram Follower Checkers

This is where tools like DoTheyFollow come in handy. These services can show you:

• Complete follower and following lists for any public account
• Mutual followers between two accounts
• Who someone recently followed or unfollowed
• Follower growth over time
• Engagement rates and follower quality

How Instagram Follower Checkers Work

Most follower checker tools work by accessing Instagram's public data through their API or web scraping. They can pull information that's technically public but hard to access manually.

The good ones (like ours) respect Instagram's terms of service and only access publicly available information. We never ask for your Instagram password, and we never interact with accounts on your behalf.

What You Can (and Can't) See

Let's set some realistic expectations. Here's what's possible:

✅ What You CAN Check:

• Your own complete follower and following lists
• Public accounts' follower and following lists
• Mutual followers between accounts
• Follower counts and growth trends
• Who follows who (if both accounts are public)

❌ What You CAN'T Check:

• Private account followers (unless you follow them)
• Who viewed your profile (Instagram doesn't share this)
• Who screenshots your stories (only for disappearing messages)
• Deleted or deactivated accounts' historical data

Best Practices for Checking Instagram Followers

Before you dive into checking someone's followers, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Respect Privacy

Just because you can check someone's followers doesn't always mean you should. If you're in a relationship and feeling suspicious, maybe have a conversation first instead of going full detective mode.

2. Use Reputable Tools

Stick with established services that have clear privacy policies. Avoid sketchy websites that promise "hacks" or ask for your login credentials. Check out our comparison of the best Instagram follower checkers to find a safe option.

3. Understand the Limitations

No tool can show you private account data or give you access to information Instagram doesn't make public. Be wary of services that promise otherwise.

Common Questions About Checking Instagram Followers

Can someone see if I check their followers?

Nope! Instagram doesn't notify users when someone views their follower list. You can browse freely without leaving a trace.

Why can't I see all of someone's followers?

If you can't see someone's followers, their account is probably private. You'll need to follow them (and have them accept) to see their follower list.

How often does Instagram update follower counts?

Follower counts update in real-time, but there can be slight delays. If you notice discrepancies, wait a few minutes and refresh.

Can I export someone's follower list?

Instagram doesn't offer a native export feature for follower lists. However, some third-party tools (including DoTheyFollow) can help you analyze and compare follower data.

The Bottom Line

Checking Instagram followers is pretty straightforward for your own account. For other people's accounts, you can view public follower lists manually, but it's time-consuming and limited.

If you need deeper insights—like seeing mutual followers, comparing accounts, or tracking changes over time—a dedicated tool makes life way easier.